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Edwardsville - Glen Carbon, IL

Events

The Goshen Market
In the summer months, The Land of Goshen Market offers a mélange of homemade pies, fresh produce, herbs, plants and original artwork by local artisans. Located next to the Madison County Courthouse, this weekly event provides live entertainment while you shop on Saturday mornings from mid-May to mid-October, between 8 a.m. and noon.

Arts in the Park
On star-spangled summer nights, small-town Americana lives on in band concerts at City Park. Sponsored by the Office of the Mayor and the Edwardsville Department of Parks and Recreation, Arts in the Park is a 10-week series of cultural events. Entertainment events include band concerts on Thursday and Friday evenings. Education events include art classes for children on Saturday mornings. All events are held in the City Park.

Edwardsville Municipal Band
Formed in 1927, this professional community band, with over 65 members, performs for special occasions throughout the year and holds concerts during the summer months on Thursday evenings in the Edwardsville City Park.

Bonifest
This Memorial Day weekend event has been sponsored by St. Boniface Catholic Church since 1985.
St. Boniface, which includes a parochial school, holds the event as a fundraiser. Bonifest features games, rides, food, a 5K run and entertainment.

Route 66 Festival
If you’re a car buff, you won’t want to miss the annual Festival 66 — a showplace for vintage cars that celebrates memories of the legendary Route 66. This premier event, held each year in June, draws people from all the surrounding communities, along with enthusiasts of the famed highway from around the region. Route 66, also known as the “Mother Road,” winds from Chicago to Los Angeles and cuts right through the heart of Edwardsville.
Hosted by Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce, Festival 66 radiates outward from City Park, where 200–250 classic cars cruise the City and around the City Park. Festival 66 highlights include food stands and a beer garden, live entertainment, a classic car show and cruise, a children’s play and craft area, historical displays, original artwork by local artists, a bike ramble, and a showcase of our local talent.

Glenfest
This hometown event kicks off a season of festivity each August and is sponsored by the Village of Glen Carbon and area businesses. Featuring amusement rides, children’s activities, crafts, game booths, demonstrations, a car show, food booths, a beer garden, a parade and live music, Glenfest culminates in a pageant and the crowning of “Little Miss Glenfest.”

Harvest WineFest
Beginning in 2000, Harvest WineFest has been held on the third Thursday of each October. Hosted by TheAlliance of Edwardsville and Glen Carbon, Harvest WineFest features fine cuisine by local restaurants and caterers, live classical and light jazz music, a silent auction, and an art exhibit by ARTEAST. Of course, no WineFest would be complete without a tasting. This Alliance event features over 100 foreign and domestic wines available for either tasting
or purchase.

ParkFest
The Leclaire ParkFest is long-standing tradition in this historic district of Edwardsville. Held on the third Sunday of each October from 12 to 5 p.m., ParkFest is made possible by the Friends of Leclaire, who coordinate the event. ParkFest features a variety of events, including live music, festival food, crafts, trolley tours of the historic district, a book sale, children’s activities and a display of vintage cars, tractors and other farm implements. The highlight of this event is a mid-afternoon parade that winds around the park, showcasing an impressive display of vintage vehicles.

ARTEAST
Since 1998, this event has helped showcase the artwork of approximately 150 local talents each year. Held over the third and fourth weekend of October, ARTEAST features tours of multiple exhibitions and studios in the area.

Annual Halloween Parade
For over 80 years, the Edwardsville Halloween Parade has been one of the most-attended October 31st events in the Metro East area, bringing in as many as 20,000 spectators. Sponsored by the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce, the Halloween Parade features over 130 entries that include marching bands, floats, school groups and entertainers.

Veterans Day Parade
This historic parade has been held every year since the end of World War I, with the exception of two years during World War II. Sponsored by the Edwardsville VFW and the American Legion, the Veterans Day Parade was once illuminated by Boy Scouts bearing railroad flares in the years before streetlights. These days, anywhere from 85–125 military, school and community groups participate
in this venerable and time-honored event.